Colorants for lipid-based confection compositions and lipid-based compositions made therefrom

ABSTRACT

Colored confectionery compositions containing powdered caramel color, and powdered caramel in conjunction with color enhancers such as yellow and, optionally, yellow and blue, certified food color lakes providing brown or cocoa coloring to lipid-based edible compositions and lipid-based artificial chocolate compositions, which employ powdered caramel color as a basic coloring pigment, are disclosed.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 967,972 filed Dec. 11, 1978.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to lipid dispersible color compositions for foodproducts and to lipid-based edible compositions, including artificialchocolate, incorporating said color compositions.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Cocoa, coffee, maple, cinnamon, walnut, pecan and other natural productsare frequently used to impart their characteristic flavor and aroma tolipid-based food coating or filling compositions. Their normal brown ortan coloration is associated with the characteristic flavor and aroma ofthe products wherein they are incorporated. By "lipid-based" is meantany lipid-containing food compositions which contain a significant orsubstantial amount of a fat or oil base and in which no water has beenadded during the normal or conventional food processing or manufacturesequence.

"Compound coatings", as that term is used in the art, are lipid-basedfood compositions which serve as coatings for candies, cookies or frozenconfection bars. These compound coatings may be derived from a varietyof natural foods, such as cocoa. They also include coatings associatedwith well known flavors, such as maple, coffee, etc. However, incompound coatings certain processed fats are employed as the principallipid fraction. The lipid of a chocolate coating is cocoa butter, whilein other coatings other cocoa butter-like fats or shortenings areemployed. The characteristics of the broad varieties of availableprocessed fats are varied, making it possible to exercise control of thephysical, organoleptic and rheological characteristics of the coatings,such as sheen, mouth feel, viscosity, melting and setting temperatures,and resistance to rancidity.

"Creme" fillings are confectionary-type food compositions containing thecharacteristic imparting flavorant such as cocoa, coffee or mapleflavor, powdered sugars, and lipids such as shortening, and optionallycontaining other food adjuncts which impart desired texture, additionalflavor, bulk or color. Creme fillings are typically used as the fillersfor sandwich cookies and wafers.

Shortages in natural products, such as cocoa and coffee, have resultedin wide fluctuations in the price of these commodities. It is thereforedesirable and economically attractive to employ edible substitutes forthese natural products in foods which contain and are associated withthese natural products and closely simulate their color and flavor.Likewise, some people are allergic to certain nonessential componentsfound in natural food products and nonallergenic substitutes for thesenatural products would be and are desirable.

The use of United States Certified Food Colors, i.e., FD&C Colors (FoodDrug & Cosmetic Colors) as such, or in the form of insolubleprecipitated "lakes", as colorants for food compositions, includingcompositions that are lipid-based, is known.

it has also been determined that brown hues may be obtained by blendingcertain blue, yellow and red FD&C colors or color lakes thereof. The redcolor is required in such compositions to introduce the reddish tintcharacteristic of chocolate, cocoa, coffee, maple, cinnamon, ginger andother colors.

However, due to governmental regulation, the permissible uses of certainred colors or lakes made therefrom in food compositions are limited.Some red food colors and lakes are permitted in the United States, butnot in Canada, while others are permitted in Canada, but not in theUnited States. Thus, restrictions are placed on the FD&C colors that canbe blended to attempt to produce brown hues which are, at the same time,compatible with the food additive regulations of both countries. Inparticular, FD&C Red No. 40 (Allura Red) is permitted in the UnitedStates but not in Canada; FD&C Red No. 2 (Amaranth) is permitted inCanada, but not in the United States.

The only red color acceptable in both Canada and the United States,therefore, is FD&C Red No. 3 (Erythrosine). This colorant, however, isnot suitable for use in many food compositions because it demonstratespoor stability on exposure to light and/or acid environments. Forexample, when FD&C Red No. 3 is mixed with the other colors (blue andyellow) to produce a brownish color blend, it has been observed to fadeon exposure to light, leaving the residual color blend (green) as thedominant hue.

The use of caramel to impart brown hues to aqueous based foodstuffs isknown. Caramel, which is carefully controlled burnt carbohydrate,usually dextrose or sucrose, is a water soluble, but lipid insolublecolor additive, regulated and permitted in both the United States andCanada. As an article of commerce, it is available as a viscous, denseliquid, or as a drum-dried or spray-dried solid in powder or particulateform.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,576 teaches the use of powdered caramel coloringdissolved in water base systems, such as cola-type and other brown-huedbeverages, artificial maple syrups, artificial vanilla flavors,sugar-based confections, bread and beer. Another use for caramel colorin the dried form is found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,841,499, where dry caramelis added to a powdered mix, which powder is subsequently dissolved inwater to make the final product. However, there is no teaching of theuse of caramel for the coloring of lipid-based food compositions.

Finally, while the industry uses insoluble pigments, particularly colorlakes, in lipid systems, there is no teaching of the use of the lipidinsoluble caramel color as a pigment in a lipid system.

The prior art also discloses the use of water soluble-oil insoluble dyesin non-aqueous food compositions, but only when special provision ismade to disperse those dyes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,691requires a three-step process to convert a water soluble colorant intoan oil soluble colorant. Included in this process is the dissolution ofthe colorant in a polyhydric alcohol, followed by admixture and heatingat 150° C. with a solution of glycerol fatty acid ester converting agentto make a dye "complex".

U.S. Pat. No. 1,919,025 discloses the use of lanolin to effect an evendistribution of water soluble food colors in fatty foodstuffs.Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,573 indicates that, in order to use watersoluble coloring materials in fatty compositions, the dye may beemulsified in a fatty acid ester of polyglycerol. U.S. Pat. No.2,524,291 also describes dispersion of an aqueous solution of the dye inan emulsifier such as lecithin.

Yet another method of utilizing oil insoluble dyes in fatty compositionsis described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,686,722. There, the dyes, beingpartially alcohol soluble, are first dissolved in alcohol, and thencombined with the food composition. The temperature is raised tovolatilize the alcohol, but the dyes remain in the composition.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 1,371,450 discloses a method of incorporatingfat-incompatible (but otherwise unidentified) colors in confectionarycoatings and fillings which use fat as the liquefying ingredient. Theprocedure taught involves adding the color to sugar (or similarcomponent miscible with the color) and then milling the coloredsweetener with the fat liquefying component to obtain a uniformlycolored product.

Each of the above-cited prior art patents have in common the feature ofrequiring a special step, typically emulsification or "complexing" bywhich the oil insoluble colorant can be introduced into the fatty foodcomposition. None of these references teach the use of caramel as apigment to provide a brown color for lipid-based foods.

The food color industry, therefore, remains without a satisfactorymethod for imparting stable brown or chocolate or similar color hues tolipid-based food compositions, other than by the use of the naturalproducts, and particularly lacks a method of coloration of lipid-basedfood compositions which is relatively simple, inexpensive, produces astable food colorant, is not detrimental to health and can be marketedwithout contravening governmental restrictions.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide ediblecolor blend compositions for lipid-based food compositions to replace inwhole or in part the natural products heretofore used, which color blendcompositions overcome the aforementioned shortcomings of previous colorsubstitutes and, additionally, to provide compound coatings and fillingsthat may be substituted for the natural product-derived compoundcoatings and fillings.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an economicalsubstitute for conventionally employed natural ingredients, such ascocoa, to impart the normally associated brown hues to lipid-based foodcompositions.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a food colorantcomposition which is accepted as safe when ingested and, therefore, notrestricted or banned by governmental regulations in the United States orother countries.

Another object of the invention is to provide a food colorant which iscolor stable in a wide range of compositions in which it is employed,including acid conditions, and under the conditions in which foodcompositions are commonly exposed, such as light and heat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a color blendcomposition for lipid-based food compositions that will furnish a widerange of brown shades based on blend variations and which will,therefore, closely match natural colorants.

A still further object is the provision of lipid-based compositions,especially confection-type compositions, that closely simulate compoundcoatings and fillings made from natural ingredients such as cocoa andchocolate, or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing objects are achieved by the present invention which in onebroad aspect includes edible, food grade colorant compositions whichprovide brown colors, including the characteristic cocoa or chocolatebrown hues, to lipid-based food compositions. The dry colorantcompositions used in the present invention are in the broadest form adry, pulverulent, water soluble, lipid insoluble caramel powder. Moreparticularly, novel colorant compositions which are uniform,pulverulent, dry blends of lipid insoluble caramel powder, admixed withcolor enhancers such as yellow, and mixtures of yellow and blue, foodgrade lakes and their use as colorants in lipid-based food products aredisclosed.

In one broad form the present invention relates to an edible, pigmentedbrown, lipid-based food composition comprising a lipid and a finelydivided caramel powder uniformly dispersed throughout said composition.

The present invention also relates to a method of forming an essentiallywater-free, lipid-based, edible food composition having a browncoloration which comprises admixing a water-soluble, lipid insolublecaramel powder in highly divided form with an edible food grade lipidmaterial in an amount sufficient to impart a uniform brown coloration tosaid lipid.

More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of driedcaramel color in finely divided, pulverulent, powdered form as a pigmentdispersed in lipid-based food compositions to impart a brown orchocolate or similar coloration to the said food product whereinincorporated and to brown colored lipid-based food compositions made inaccordance with this procedure. Accordingly, a method of imparting abrown or chocolate coloration to lipids and lipid-based foodcompositions by the addition to the lipid or lipid-based foodstuffs of afinely divided caramel color as a pigment is here provided, as well asbrown colored lipid-based food compositions containing caramel as apigment made by that method. The basic brown color imparted to lipds orlipid-based compositions by the use of caramel as a pigment in dispersedform in a preferred form of the invention may also be modified by theaddition of other dry supplemental colorant or enhancers such as theYellow No. 6 and, optionally, combinations of Yellow No. 6 and Blue No.2, food grade lakes.

The absence of the regulated red FD&C food colors obviates objections orprohibitions with respect to the use of FD&C Red No. 2 (Amaranth) andRed No. 40 (Allura Red) and the absence of FD&C No. 3 (Erythrosine)eliminates the attendant problems of light and acid instability whichare known to be associated with the use of that product. Caramel is afood color additive, while subject to regulation, is permitted inCanada, the United States and other countries. It is universallyrecognized as a safe, edible substance, and exhibits exceptionalstability. Furthermore, it is economical in comparison to both naturalbrown hued ingredients and food color lakes. It also provides coloringthat closely matches the hues imparted by many brown colored naturalingredients.

Accordingly, the present invention fulfills the objective of providing asatisfactory food grade brown, cocoa or chocolate coloring compositionthat is non-toxic, edible, color stable in light and air and free ofpotential hazards to human health. The compounded, colored, pigmentcompositions of the present invention, when used alone or particularlywhen compounded with flavorants and diluents, are suitable artificialreplacements for all or part of the cocoa conventionally used incompound coatings and creme fillers containing cocoa, as well as otherlipid-based food compositions characterized by brown hues such as coffeeand maple coatings and fillers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In accordance with the present invention, the dry caramel pigment andthe color enhanced dry caramel pigment and the FD&C color lake blends ofthe present invention may be used to impart a wide range of brown huesto lipid-based food compositions. Thus, the normal color imparted bynatural ingredients such as cocoa, coffee, maple, cinnamon, walnut andpecan, may be provided by caramel pigment and caramel pigment basedcolor blends. Examples of lipids used as a base for the aforenoted foodcompositions are vegetable fat, vegetable oil, animal fat, animal oil,butter, cocoa butter, butter oils and so-called hard butters, each ofwhich may be blended, fractured, partially hydrogenated or completelyhydrogenated. The lipids preferably melt in the range of about 89° F. to114° F. (31°-46° C.). Other melting ranges may be preferable dependingon season and geographic location, e.g., a range of 108° F. to 114° F.(42°-46° C.) for use during summer and in the southern United States.

The caramel pigment used alone or supplemented or enchanced by theaddition of Yellow No. 6 lake or a combination of Yellow No. 6 and BlueNo. 2 lake, may be used as such to provide the color customarilyimparted to the lipid-based food by the natural product which itreplaces. Preferably, the colorant is compounded as a part of a totalcolor- and flavor-imparting concentrate product which comprises the drycaramel pigment colorant or enhanced colorant blend, a flavor ingredientand a diluent, carrier or bulking agent, such as sugar, corn flour orthe like. The color blends may be used to supply all of the colorassociated with the natural product which it is intended to replace ormay replace only a portion thereof. In one preferred embodiment thenatural food ingredient is replaced by the color substitute orartificial product on a one-to-one weight ratio basis.

Caramel powder and the color blends of caramel powder and the colorenhancing food dye lakes of the present invention are, as indicatedabove, also used to impart a brown color to compound coatings and cremefillings of a confectionary type which consist mainly of powdered sugarsand shortening. In keeping with the invention, other conventionaladjuncts and additives such as lecithin, salt, whey powder, dry milksolids, natural cocoa, chocolate liquor and cocoa butter, may also bepresent in the creme filling or compound coating. In one preferredembodiment, the caramel or caramel colorant blends are used to impart abrown color to compound coatings which typically consist of a lipid orfat component, a powdered sugar component and, optionally, food adjunctsor additives such as those listed above.

The edible lipid-based food compositions such as compound coatings andcreme fillings in general contain 2 to 6% by weight of colorantcomposition, from about 25%, preferably 30 to 40%, of edible lipids suchas fat or hard butters and from about 50 to 60% sugar. Thus, the amountof caramel powder present in these food compositions, calculated byreference to the colorant compositions of the examples which follow andthe instant specification, falls within the range of from about 1 toabout 24% by weight of the lipid. Other diluents, filler or adjunctssuch as non-fat milk solids or the like may be used in amounts of fromabout 4 to 12% by weight of the food compositions. The colorantcomposition may be caramel powder or caramel powder with the colorenhancers Yellow No. 6 and Blue No. 2 lake, as described above.

The caramel powder used as a pigment and coloring agent in thelipid-based food compositions described in the present invention arepowdered, finely divided, pulverulent or particulate materials.Preferably, the caramel powder is such that 100% passes through a 100mesh screen (U.S. Standard Sieve Series), although coarser grades suchas (-80 mesh) or blends of -100 and -60 or 80 mesh may be used. Thecaramel powders used are usually spray dried but may also be drum driedmaterial. They are water soluble, lipid insoluble materials. The colorof the caramel materials is usually expressed in terms of Hue Index andthe color intensity in terms of Tinctorial Power (K). Hue Index isdefined by Linner in his paper "Caramel Coloring--A New Method ofDetermining Its Color Hue and Tinctorial Power", Proc. Soc. of SoftDrink Technologists (1970), Bulletin 571, as follows:

Hue Index=10 log (A₀.51 /A₀.61) where A₀.51 is absorbancy at 0.51microns and A₀.61 is absorbancy at 0.61 microns. Tinctorial Power, K₀.56is determined from the equation:

    K.sub.0.56 =(A.sub.0.56 /cb)

where A₀.56 is absorbancy at 0.56 microns, "c" is the concentration ingrams per liter, and "b" is the cell thickness in centimeters.

Suitable caramel powders include the preferred Sethness RT-2 spray driedcaramel which has a Hue Index of about 5.22±0.08 and a Tinctorial Powerof 0.325. A Sethness acid-proof powdered caramel which has a Hue Indexof 3.9±0.10 and a Tinctorial Power of 0.680, is also useful but lesspreferred.

The color blends of the present invention contain a lipid-insolublepowdered caramel pigment, Yellow No. 6 lake and, optionally, also BlueNo. 2 lake. Yellow No. 6 lake is approximately 39% Yellow No. 6 dyeadsorbed on about 61% by weight alumina, and Blue No. 2 lake isapproximately 34% Blue No. 2 adsorbed on about 66% by weight alumina.The range of dye content in commercial Yellow No. 6 form is about 15-42%and in the case of Blue No. 2, 11-36%.

Colorant compositions containing caramel pigment and the color enhancerYellow No. 6 lake as the principal colorants impart a natural brown huewhen combined in ratios of from 99.5 to 60% spray dried caramel powderand 0.5% to 40% by weight Yellow No. 6 lake of the color componentblend. Within this broad range for producing brown hues is a morelimited, preferred range resulting in brown or cocoa colored shadeswhere Yellow No. 6 lake constitutes from 0.5% to 6% by weight of thecolor blend and the balance (of 100%), powdered, spray dried caramel.

Optionally, and as a most preferred embodiment, the caramel powder blendused as the principal pigment in the colorant blend compositiondescribed above, supplemented with Yellow No. 6 lake as a color enhancermay be further supplemented and enhanced with Blue No. 2 lake forcertain desirable brown shade variations. Satisfactory brown hues willbe obtained by the use of from 0.1% to 10% by weight of Blue No. 2 lakein the colorant blend composition. Shades suitable as cocoa colorsimulations are produced when as little as 0.1% to 1% of Blue No. 2 lakeis employed.

It should be understood that the foregoing percentage ranges of theYellow No. 6 and Blue No. 2 lakes used as color enhancers are applicableto lakes having the higher concentration of FD&C dye. When lower dyeconcentration lakes are used, larger amounts of the lake must be used ona proportional basis.

It is also contemplated as part of the present invention to include ascolor supplements non-certified, food color additives such as paprika;carrot; annatto and turmeric; or their extracts or oleoresins;riboflavin, carotenoid colors; dehydrated beets; carmine; toasted,partially defatted cooked cottonseed flour; dehydrated grapeskinextract; dehydrated fruit juices; saffron or titanium dioxide.

Cocoa replacers which are one of the preferred compositions of thepresent invention are, broadly, concentrates comprising a pulverulentcolor blend composition containing from about 50 to 99.4% by weight ofspray dried powdered caramel and 0.5 to 40% by weight of FD&C Yellow No.6 lake. The color blend concentrate preferably also contains from 0.1 to10% by weight of FD&C Blue No. 2 lake, said color blend being admixedwith a flavorant for cocoa and a diluent such as sugar, powdered sugaror yellow corn flour. The flavorant may be a commercial artificial cocoaflavor (such as National Food Ingredient Co. No. 224-0400) or anadmixture of artificial cocoa flavor and vanillin. A total cocoareplacer powder would contain, on a dry weight basis, about 20 to 45%powdered caramel; 2 to 10% FD&C Yellow No. 6 lake; 1 to 3% FD&C Blue No.2 lake; 5 to 7% powdered, e.g. spray dried, cocoa flavor; and 35 to 72%diluent such as sugar or sugar and other powdered edible diluent.

The present invention will be more clearly understood from the followingspecific examples.

EXAMPLE 1 COLOR BLEND

Ninety-six parts of spray dried powdered caramel pigment (Sethness RT-2,-100 mesh, Hue Index 5.25) is combined with 4 parts Yellow No. 6 lake(39% dye) to produce a brown, powdered color blend that is 96 parts byweight powdered caramel and 4 parts by weight Yellow No. 6 lake.

EXAMPLE 2 COCOA REPLACER

A pulverulent cocoa replacer composition is prepared by blendingtogether 30% of the powdered caramel color blend prepared in Example 1,6% spray dried artificial cocoa flavor (National Food Ingredient Co., aDivision of National Can Corporation, NFIC Cocoa Flavor, Artificial No.224-0400) and 64% by weight of powdered sugar.

EXAMPLE 3 COMPOUND COATING

A compound coating is prepared by combining 59.75 parts by weightpowdered sugar; 30.5 parts by weight of a hard butter (m.p. 99°-103°F.); 0.25 parts by weight flour salt; and 9.0 parts by weight of thecocoa replacer prepared in Example 2. The mixture is heated withstirring at a temperature between 140° and 150° F. for a period of about2 hours to form a smooth melted blend.

To the melted blend is added 0.5 parts by weight of lecithin, heat iswithdrawn and the blend is cooled to about 120° F. while stirringcontinuously. At this point, the resulting compound coating was used toenrobe a baked product. When fully cooled to 38°-40° F., the resultingproduct exhibits a cocoa brown shade fully acceptable as a substitutefor the food color which is produced by cocoa at a 9% concentration.

The amount of caramel powder present in the compound coating so producedis 8.5% by weight of the lipid.

EXAMPLE 4 COLOR BLEND

The procedure of Example 1 is followed with the exception that thecaramel pigment (-100 mesh) constitutes 99.0 parts by weight of thecolor blend, and Yellow No. 6 lake constitutes 1.0 part. The resultingshade of a compound coating prepared as in Example 3 simulates that ofDutch-processed cocoa. This shade is darker in color than that producedaccording to Example 1 and is equally acceptable as an artificial foodcolor.

EXAMPLE 5 COLOR BLEND

Following the procedure of Example 1, a color blend was prepared byadmixing 93.8 parts by weight powdered (-100 mesh) caramel pigment(Sethness RT-2), 6 parts by weight Yellow No. 6 lake and 0.2 part BlueNo. 2 lake. This color blend was compatible with and evenly dispersiblein fats and oils.

EXAMPLE 6 COCOA REPLACER

Thirty parts of the color blend prepared in Example 5 is admixed with 6parts spray dried cocoa flavor, NFIC Cocoa Flavor, Artificial No.224-0343; 0.5 part vanillin; 53 parts powdered sugar; and 10.5 parts ofyellow corn flour (-100 mesh) to produce a pulverulent powdered cocoareplacer.

EXAMPLE 7 COMPOUND COATING

Two parts of the cocoa replacer of Example 6 is blended with 38 parts ofAmbrosia White Pearl Brand of "hard butter"; 49 parts of powdered sugar;9.5 parts of powdered, non-fat dried milk solids; 0.5 part lecithin; 0.5part salt; and 0.5 part vanillin at a temperature of 130°-140° F. for aperiod of 2 hours following the general procedure set forth in Example3. The final product exhibited a cocoa brown color and a flavor that wascommercially acceptable.

The amount of caramel powder present in the compound coating so producedis 1.48% by weight of the lipid.

EXAMPLE 8 COCOA REPLACER AND CREME FILLING

A color blend concentrate was prepared by admixing 42.5% powderedcaramel pigment (Sethness RT-2, -100 mesh); 3.5% Yellow No. 6 lake; 1.0%Blue No. 2 lake; 47% powdered sugar; 5.0% spray dried NFIC cocoa flavor,Artificial No. 224-0343, (National Food Ingredient Co.); and 1.0%vanillin (-60 mesh) [Percentages are by Weight]. The resulting cocoareplacer was used as a cocoa extender in a sandwich cookie creme fillingto replace part of the natural cocoa. This cocoa replacer was added to acreme filling base comprising 62% powdered sugar and 31% shortening, inan amount of 3.5% by weight of the filling with an equal amount (3.5%)of natural cocoa. The resulting creme filling has a chocolate brownshade approximating that produced using 12% natural cocoa. The cremefilling composition used in sandwich cookies was considered to beacceptable from a color, texture and taste standpoint and comparedfavorably to a 100% natural cocoa flavored creme filling.

The amount of caramel powder present in the creme filling so produced is4.79% by weight of the lipid.

EXAMPLE 9 COLOR BLEND

A color blend of 96% of weight powdered caramel pigment (Sethness RT-2),3.0% by weight Yellow No. 6 lake, and 1.0% by weight Blue No. 2 lake arecombined to produce a blend that has an acceptable cocoa brown color.

EXAMPLE 10 COMPOUND COATING

A compound coating is prepared by combining 62.5% by weight of powderedsugar; 33% by weight of hard butter (KAOKOTE, Durkee); 4% Sethness RT-2spray dried caramel powder (100% -100 mesh, Hue Index 5.25); and 0.5artificial cocoa flavor. The mixture is heated with blending at atemperature of between 135°-145° F. for a period of 2 hours. To theheated mixture is added 0.5% lecithin and the mixture stirred withoutadded heat until it cools to 120° F. The resulting product was acompound coating have a dark cocoa brown shade similar in color tocompound coatings made from natural chocolate.

The amount of the caramel powder present in the compound coating soproduced is 12.1% by weight of the lipid.

EXAMPLE 11 COMPOUND COATING

A compound coating for a light brown maple coating was preparedfollowing the procedure of Example 10 using the following ingredients:

    ______________________________________                                                            %                                                         ______________________________________                                        Durkee KAOKOTE (Hard Butter)                                                                        36                                                      Sethness RT-2 Powdered Caramel                                                (-100 Mesh), Hue Index 5.25                                                                         2                                                       Powdered Sugar        60                                                      Maple (Powdered Artificial)                                                                         1                                                       Salt                  .5                                                      Lecithin              .5                                                      Total                 100                                                     ______________________________________                                    

The product had a tan color and is used as a maple coating for bakedproducts.

The amount of caramel powder present in the compound coating so producedis 5.5% by weight of the lipid.

The foregoing discloses a variety of color blends, lipid-based,brown-hued coating and filling food compositions incorporating powderedcaramel as a pigment or blends of powdered caramel color enhanced withYellow No. 6 or combinations of Yellow No. 6 and Blue No. 2 lake.

Cocoa replacer compositions are also described which may be used toreplace natural cocoa powder on a 1 for 1, or greater, replacement basisor as a concentrate, such as is shown in Example 8, wherein 3.5 parts ofthe cocoa replacer described replaces 9.5 parts of cocoa in variouslipid-based food compositions. These cocoa replacers broadly contain 8to 35% powdered caramel; 5 to 10% Yellow No. 6 lake; 1 to 3% Blue No. 2lake; 1 to 7% cocoa flavor; and an amount of an edible diluent such assugar to make 100%, i.e., 50 to 70% by weight. (When a cocoa replacercontaining 8% caramel is incorporated in the compound coating of Example8, a food composition results in which caramel powder is present in theamount of 0.9% by weight of the lipid.) These cocoa replacercompositions may be used as the sole flavored colorant or as a partialreplacement for natural cocoa used in lipid-based confectionary foodcompositions, to produce the artificial cocoa or chocolate food productsas are herein described with the usual variants, as are apparent tothose skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. An edible, brown colored, essentially water-free,solid confectionary coating composition comprising an edible lipid; afinely divided sugar; and a highly divided, water soluble, lipidinsoluble caramel powder uniformly dispersed as a pigment throughoutsaid coating composition, said caramel powder being present in an amountof from 2 to 6% by weight of said composition.
 2. A compositionaccording to claim 1 wherein said lipid is a hard butter having amelting point in the range of 99° to 103° F.
 3. An edible, browncolored, essentially water-free, solid confection composition comprisinga hard butter type lipid, a pulverulent sugar and a colorant pigmentdispersed therein comprising a pulverulent blended admixture of powderedcaramel, pulverulent FD&C Yellow No. 6 lake and pulverulent FD&C BlueNo. 2 lake, said colorant pigment being present in an amount of fromabout 2 to 6% by weight of said composition.
 4. A confection compositionaccording to claim 3 comprising about 2 to 6% by weight of colorantcomposition; from about 25 to 40% by weight of an edible lipid, and from50 to 60% sugar.
 5. A composition according to claim 4 furthercomprising powdered non-fat dry milk solids in an amount of from about 4to 12% by weight of the composition.
 6. A composition according to claim4 wherein said edible lipid is a "hard butter" having a melting point ofat least 89° F. and is present in an amount of from 30 to 40% by weightof said composition.
 7. A composition according to claim 4 wherein saidcolor blend pigment contains from 60 to 99.5% caramel powder; from 0.5to 40% by weight of pulverulent FD&C Yellow No. 6 lake; and from 0.1 to10% by weight of pulverulent FD&C Blue No. 2 lake.
 8. A compositionaccording to claim 7 wherein the Yellow No. 6 lake is present in amountsof 0.5 to 6% and the Blue No. 2 lake is present in an amount of from 0.1to 1% by weight.